The Stranger
by LouEthelip
Summary: A stranger has come into Avalor. What secret is he hiding? Story now completed. Please read, then review.
1. Chapter 1

p style="text-align: center;"The Stranger  
p style="text-align: center;" /p  
p style="text-align: left;"After the victorious battles with Shiriki, Elena of Avalor was enjoying her time of peace to rule her kingdom. Still she proved to be a very hands on style of royalty in spite of advice contrary from her royal council. While she made sure there were no threats approaching the country she only did so from the distance of the sky on one of her Jackqulyn's Skylar. Normally the only trouble were minor in nature, a child who had gotten separated from their parents and unable to find them. Occasionally a coach that had broken down. That is when she would report her findings to the guards who would take the corrective measures in regards to the matter at hand./p  
p style="text-align: left;"This day however started less than ordinary. Gliding through the sky Elena noticed a prone figure on the ground who wasn't moving. The figure had on dark pants with rips at the calves and a shirt with rips and where the rips did not appear the sight of blood was everywhere. Without thinking Elena swooped down to the figure first calling out if he was all right. With no response she approached the prone figure. Barely touching him the figure flinched indicating though unconscious he was still alive but still in very bad shape. Ordering Skylar to find one of the guards and to bring them the Jacklyn did as instructed. In the meantime Elena remained close to the body trying to figure out how to help but the damage done looked so bad she didn't even know where to start helping. Each second seemed like minute and every minute seemed like an hour before Skylar returned/p

Eventually Skylar did return with one of the guards riding a different Jacklyn. The soldier helped in the binding of some of the deeper looking wounds to diminish if not stop the flow of blood before they tried moving him. Together the guard and Elena was able to drape him over the front shoulders of Skylar where Elena could keep him balanced for the trek back to the castle. There was more gliding than flying by the Jacqulyn since every flap of his wings made the load slightly unbalanced. Eventually they glided down to the castle where Elena began screaming for help. The rest of her family ran out quickly upon hearing her screams fearing that she was hurt. However coming through the door Elena explained the situation and all were quick to respond. Together they moved the still unconscious figure to a spare bedroom where after Elena and her sister had been escorted out the others undressed the figure, starting applying first aid to his wounds, bandaged him, and finally put him into the bed. They left a pitcher of water and a glass nearby in case he woke up and needed refreshment. Because he never stirred during his time they wonder how long he'd be unconcious or even if he would ever wake up.

It was two full days before the figure woke up. As his eyes started to adjust to his surroundings he bolted upright in surprise. Right away he realized that this was not the place where he collapsed and that it wasn't a dream. He started to pull the covers away and saw his undressed body while at the same time the door opened up to reveal Princess Elena. The lad yelled, quickly covering himself up again.

"Oh good you are finally awake. We were starting to get concerned. Welcome to Avalor stranger. So who are you?"

At first the figure wouldn't talk, his eyes showed uncertainty and maybe a little fear as well.

"Do you understand what I am saying?" Elena asked to which the figure simply nodded his head.

"My name is Chris", finally spoke the figure.

Elena began to move towards the side of the bed where the figure coward a bit. Grabbing his hand she held it in both of hers to try and offer comfort

Well Chris you are safe here in the castle. Your clothes were so ripped up that they couldn't be saved so we threw them out. However we think we got your size right and have brought you a uniform from the military. They should work until we can get you other items to wear. I'll let you get changed then come downstairs. We are about to have dinner and we'd love to have you.

Leaving the figure so he could clothe himself properly Elena went downstair to the dining area to await both their dinner and their guest. Chris arrived just as the meal was being served. In the military uniform it almost looked like he was born to wear it. The only thing missing from the outfit was a sword and scabbard. In spite of herself Elena eyes opened wide while her jaw dropped. It was hard for anybody else in the family to notice this reaction.

Running his hands over the front of his uniform Chris spoke.

"Must admit this is a pretty good fit. Thank you all so much for what you did for me. I don't know how I can repay all of you for your kindness. I don't even know who you are."

Realizing that introductions had never been made Princess Elena provided the introductions. When she introduced herself as Princess Elena and her sister as Princess Isabel the young man's jaw dropped and with only a moment of hesitation because of shock dropped to one knee.

"Please forgive me for not bowing earlier Princesses. I did not know who you two were.

Elena touched his shoulder and aided him in standing up.

"It's all right. You had no idea I was. Besides we aren't the type of familia who ask people to bow in homage to them.

"So where are your parents, the king and queen?"

The smile of Princess Elena disappeared as she mentioned the fact they had been killed by Shariki and she herself had been imprisoned in an amulet for many years. Again Chris apologized not meaning to bring up a subject that was apparently still a tender spot in her psyche. She absolved him of guilt because how could he have known. When Elena asked where his parents were it was the young man who started becoming most uncomfortable.

"It would appear we have one thing in common. My parents were also killed. The difference is you know who there murderer was. I never did. They were killed along with my older brother who I idolized. Why he didn't kill me I'll never know but it seems like since my banishment from the country he has been after me perhaps to try and finish the job.

In that moment Elena realized she had met a kindred spirit. An individual who understood the meaning of a personal loss. The pair looked at each other with empathy but there was something in the look of the young man that indicated he wasn't telling the whole story of what he knew. Perhaps the pain was still too fresh to be revealed and she understood. It took her a while to come to grips with the reality of the situation. If he wanted to reveal his secret she would wait until he was ready to do so.

Soon the dinner was brought forth and the gathering began eating. At first Chris ate rather fast like he hadn't eaten in a while and was afraid the food would be taken from him before he had finished it. Between two of the bites he looked up to see how the others wer e becoming uncomfortable with his lack of manners. Sheepishly smiling he grabbed his knife and fork and began eating at a more leisurely pace. Questions were asked back and forth. The guest wanting to know more about his host and the royal family about their new friend. In most cases he was willing to tell them what he could but other areas he either didn't know or wouldn't share at that time.

After the meal everybody went into the parlor for an evening of folk singing. Chris was enjoying the singing and instruments being played. He regularly clapped with rhythm to the beats. It was obvious he didn't know a single song they were singing but that never prevented him from enjoying it. Through the night Elena couldn't help but feel like Mark was looking her in a different way from the other members of her family. At first she wasn't sure what was going on but kept the thoughts to herself until it became late and everybody needed to get some shut-eye. Elena escorted Chris back to his room making sure he had everything he needed for the night. However before she left him for the night he made a strange request.

"If you must wake me up during the night do so from a distance. Maybe using a stick or your scepter to do so. All this time in the forest made me a light sleeper and it doesn't take much to wake me up. Only problem is I'm so use to waking to defend myself that I'm not sure I'd realize where I am and who you are until its too late."

"I'll leave a note on the door so the servants or family wind up making that mistake.", was her response.

Over the course of the next several days the young man slowly seemed to fit into the royal family quite nicely. To help get his health back to where it needed to be besides eating much healthier meals thanks to the cooking staff he unofficially joined the royal guard going through the daily workouts. While his legs were strong enough to keep up the pace with any running the guards had to do his arms most likely from lack being used regularly needed to be strengthen up. Gabe wouldn't let Chris participate in any event that required the use of a weapon but in all other ways he was treated no different than any other man. At first he got a bit of hazing from the other guards when Gabe wasn't around however later on when it was apparent he was hazed he refused to testify against the other guards.

The rest of the time he spent in the castle where he was fast becoming a friend of the entire family. Sometimes they'd walk past a room and see Chris singing while Princess Isabel accompanied him of her instrument. He sometimes offered to help the cooks with their meals or the staff to bring the food out to the royal family. Though he was happy to be around all of them he seemed to show special attention and attraction to Elena. The grandparents started becoming concerned that the boy was falling in love with their grand daughter and more importantly the feeling seemed be very, very mutual.


	2. Chapter 2

"For the next week Chris continues to stay with Elena's family. During the day he was an unofficial member of the royal guard. Drilling, marching, running, and performing all that any other guard was expected to do. In the beginning his legs proved to be as strong as anybody. When it came to unarmed combat he proved to be more than capable of defending himself enough to be able to show some offensive moves. Some of his moves however were not so predictable to the guards perhaps Gabe thought his time in the wild forced him to develop a style of his own. These unusual actions Gabe observed and didn't discourage feeling it was good for the guards to face an opponent with a differing skill set. After all many opponents wouldn't fight like the guards fight. This way they had to keep focused and stay on their toes for the unexpected.

At the end of the day the young man enjoyed his time with Elena's family for a meal and afterwards he was allowed to have his 'alone' time. Francisco and Luisa had come to think of the individual as a distant member of the family however Chancellor Esteban still found the boy suspicious and looked for a kink in his armor. He never made his suspicions public to the others because he had no proof. However the way the lad kept dodging questions about his past continued to fuel his suspicion that there was more to the eye and he would discover it before he hurt Princess Elena or any other member of the family either by accident or intentionally

One night Elena was going past Isabel's room. This night the door was slightly opened so she peeked inside to see her sister and Chris together. Isabel was stroking her instrument which looked like a combination of a guitar with piano keys available while Chris was singing.

"I think we got it Isabel. Boy won't the others be surprised when we do this number for them. I was amazed how fast you picked up the chords with no sheet music to help guide you."

Isabel blushed at the compliment when Elena opened the door into the room startling both occupants. She asked them what the song was they were working on. Chris talked about it being a song he heard his parents sing on a regular basis and it helps him remember how kind and sweet they were.

"Can I hear it now?", Elena asked.

Chris asked Isabel if she was up for one more try which the young lady nodded in approval. She began plucking the strings not in a fast pace which most songs Elena knew would provide. This time it was slower, almost sadder.

"This is a song my parents sung on a regular basis. It helps me to miss them a little less...at least for a short time. I hope you enjoy it."

As Isabel started the instrumental intro Chris brought his to look directly at Elena as his part of the song started.

"Where am I going? Am I already there. Yet I do see its the same everywhere."

" Run, yes I want to. But who is to blame? See all the pieces they all look the same."

" For only love, can find your heart. For only love takes you in. It's a game only fools can win"

" A face in my memory of someone I know, her face through a window and nowhere to go."

" Tell her a tale, be sure that its true. Then you will know that its all up to her."

" For only love, can find your heart. Cause only takes you in. Its a game only foooooools can winnnnnnn."

The next stage of the song mostly consisted of the instrument being played while Chris went, "Dum, dum, de, dum, dum. Dum, dum, de, da. Dum, dum, de de, da, dum. De, dum, dum, de, dum. Before finding the words again.

" It's all up to you. Your in love with her boy. Its all up to you-uuuuuuuuu. It's all up to you."

Isabel stopped playing and Chris became silent while lowering his head again. It took Elena a few moments to realize the song was over but when she did her reaction was over the top applause and praise for what she had just heard. Never had she heard a song that sounded so sad yet so moving to the heart. She wanted to ask if what she had heard in the song was a reflection of his feelings for her but she didn't have the courage to ask. Instead she casually thanked him for what she had heard and left the room. Moving down the hallway she put a hand against her heart and realized it was beating faster than usual. Did the song inspire the change or could it be the feeling she was developing for Chris.

During the next week the two were rarely seen away from each other during the night. Of course during the day Elena had her royal duties to perform while Chris continued working with the royal guard. At one point the guard tried to initiate him by grabbing and trying to remove his clothes against his consent. Just before he started getting really angry Gabe who overheard the commotion and ran to put an end to the situation. He then chewed out the soldiers that while Chris was training with them he was not a member of the official guard so that these types of hijinxes had to be removed. This led to a little grumbling by the others but a stern look from their commander kept it from getting too bad.

Once the day was through however Chris returned to the castle for dinner. Afterwards it was rare to see Elena and Chris in a situation where they were not close together. To even the most casual observer it was obvious the two were developing close feelings for each other yet Elena was frustrated that while his body language indicated the feeling being very mutual he couldn't express his feelings in words which frustrated her greatly. Finally one evening the feelings were to strong and she finally blurted out,

"Chris I've got to know. How do you feel about me? Everything you've done indicates you care about me and might even love me. So why can't you say the words?"

Chris turned towards the window which while dark showed it was raining heavily outside. It was a perfect mood for how he was feeling. Trying to summon up the courage to say what he wanted to he finally spoke.

"Princess Elena Castillo Flores of Avalor I do love you. I love you more than I ever thought I could ever love another human being.", he began

Then there was a pause where Elena sweetly smiled at him thankful to finally heard the words. Then she got a surprise

"But as much as I love you a relationship between us can not be possible as much as I want it to be. There are secrets about me that I still can't bring myself to tell you about. Things that if you knew them might change your opinion of me. I want to protect you from that harm. Even if it means denying myself the best thing that has ever happened in my crazy life."

He started to run away leaving the princess totally confused. What could be such a terrible secret that he couldn't share it? She finished the walk to his bedroom and knocked on the door. Chris answered and was surprised by her presence. Feeling slightly awkward she just had one thing to say to him.

"Chris, I won't ask for you to reveal this secret. I am willing to wait until you are ready to share it. Just know that whatever it is we can deal with it together. All right?"

Meekly nodding his head the young man thanked Elena for understanding just before sadly closing the door for the night.

A few days later she discovered the secret by accident. She had gone with her sister Isabel and Gabe to watch the soldiers go through their daily training. At least that was the official excuse she gave the Grand Council. It was an excuse she had used in he past so it would not set off any alarms to her real purpose. She just wanted to see Chris. However she first heard a noise that sounded like a battle. Not an battle for training but one where people were in danger. Without knowing Elena and Isabel ran towards the danger and the sight made them gasp. A large monster, at least a couple of feet taller than any of the soldiers was being fought off by the group. Yet even with the odds being so great against the monster he was more than able to hold his own. He able to use his height advantage and his long reach to keep the guards from a direct attack. The few successes they had was when they tried to attack from his back. There they were able to get a slice in but never more than one as once he felt the pain he turned around to swat them away like flies.

Gabe's instinct kicked in His first duty was to protect the princesses. While Elena held Isabel tight and curled up into a ball leaving her back exposed Gabe stood before the monster brandishing his sword in the monsters face. When the monster proceeded to move forward Gabe swing the blade intending to strike the target only to be shocked when the figure held his my the wrist refusing to let go. A moment later the figure drew his head back then forward to deliver a head but that not even the helmet could protect him from. The metal helmet cracked and Gabe was rendered unconscious though it did have the effect to causing the creature to take a stumbling backwards before finding his balance. Then his attention was drawn to the princess who were too scared to even run. Elena continued to hold her sister tight to protect when something unexpected happened. Though the creature continue grunting he didn't advance toward the pair. Slowly the grunting turned into heavy breathing where a light began to glow from the body illuminating the area even more. With each inhale and exhale the creature began to take the shape of Chris as she had known him. Eventually his legs gave way and he crumbled to the ground. It took a few minutes before he began to stir. He first noticed that his uniform had multiple rips in them similar to the clothes he wore the first time she had met him. Turning his head he couldn't help but see the destruction he had caused. He got to his feet and looked totally scared but when he saw the princesses fear became panic. He ran away from the scene as fast as his legs would allow him to move. Without hesitation she followed the figure though before long she could figure out where he was running to.

Finally at the door she took a few deep breaths from the sprint she had just endured before knocking on the door. At first there was no response. She spoke say she knew he was in there. She got her first response as he asked her to go away. She refused saying she had promised to help him in any way possible and that she was willing to keep that promise now. It took a few moments before the door opened up even the smallest of cracks.

"Why are you willing to trust me after what happened. I could have hurt you. I could have hurt Isabel. How can you forgive me when I can't even forgive myself?"

"Chris, yes you could have hurt me. You could have hurt Isabel. Bottom line though is that you didn't. That has to mean something."

She could see the uncertainty in his eyes over what she said but he hadn't rejected her yet so she pressed her momentary advantage.

"In the castle we have a wizard, Mateo is his name. If this problem is a magical one and I think it could be then most likely there is a magical solution to it as well. Promise me you'll see tomorrow morning with me first thing in the morning? I want to keep you here if I can and if you will trust me enough to try.

The last part was mostly to play into his emotions for her and the hope he cared enough for her to try anything even if he was not sure it would work. Nodding his acceptance Chris asked if they could see him now. Elena told him Mateo was out of the castle getting supplies but would be back at night. In addition he was still too emotionally churned up over the matter and wanted him to be calmer when they all met. He was willing to agree asking her to wake him as early as could be allowed even if it was still dark outside when she did so. She was about to leave when he asked a favor of her. He opened the door stepping out and hugged her with all his strength. For several moments he clung to her much the way an animal would hang on a tree limb in rising waters to keep from drowning. Finally as he continued embracing her the young man whispered in her ear.

"Thank you for believing in me when I had lost faith believing in myself."


	3. Chapter 3

Before the dawn broke over the terrain Elena kept her word and knocked on Chris's door. It wasn't even a second later when the door opened up with Chris fully dressed though still looking a little groggy. He explained his sleep was not the best last night in anticipation of this meeting that could finally remove this curse that has been afflicting him.

Before leaving to see the wizard Elena wanted to give Chris something to thank him for last night and for trusting her now. With his back against the wall Elena brought herself as close as she could and began kissing him softly for an extended period of time. At first reaction was major stiffness in the entire body but as she continued the kiss he became more relaxed and responded to the offering being given to him.

When the pair finally parted they noticed they were not alone. One of the members of her staff had stood noticing what was happening. The servants eyes were wide open in surprise until Elena put a finger up and down on her lips indicating to the servant not to say a word about what had been seen. The servants eyes lessen in surprise while the lips indicated she understood and the smile seemed to show the approval for what had been seen.

The pair made their way to the wizards workshop where the young man was scanning a book looking for something. He looked up to see Elena with the stranger.

"So, I am assuming this is the gentleman with the problem.

Looking at Mateo with a questionable look in his eyes he stated his impression that wizards were old, wise, with long gray beards and maybe a bald spot on their heads.

"Normally you'd be right but in this case I really am a wizard as was my father, and my grandfather. It was only through unique circumstances that I became the royal wizard. I am however the real thing and Princess Elena has explained your circumstances to me."

"So can you help me?" Chris asked hoping the answer would be positive.

"I do not know a counter spell to what you are going through. I seem to remember reading something similar to what you are experiencing. However I will need time to go through the Codex to figure out the cure. If its in here I promise you I'll find it. I've also got Zazu exploring the spirit real for any info he could provide."

Chris looked befuddled at the explanation so Elena provided extra details to explain in words Chris would understand.

"Ah I see, this Zazu is a familiar, not an real life animal but a spiritual one."

Mateo corrected the lad stating in his lifetime he was alive but when he died his spirit became an assistant in the realm of spirits.

"So how long do you think it will take before you have the answer?", Chris finally asked.

"I don't know. I could find it in an hour, might even take a few days. I might even be wrong and the answer isn't in here though I think it is. I'll keep you and Elena update on my progress and let you know when I have something."

Over the course of the next two days Mateo was as good as his word. He kept the pair updated as to his progress when he came up to get something to eat. A couple of times he almost thought he had the answer but as he delved deeper into the codex he found himself to be in error. Finally on the third day he had a degree of success. He found the spell that was needed but they were not out of the woods yet. Some of the ingredients he needed to make the potion were not in his stock. Also the incantation was long and complicated. He estimated ingredients needed could be gotten in a few days but the incantations couldn't be started until he had them and then it would take a couple of more days before the curse could be lifted.

While obviously disappointed that he would have to wait a bit longer overall Chris took the news fairly well. Better than Princess Elena thought he would. Of course he couldn't go back to training with the guards after what had transpired recently. Still to keep him occupied he was asked to assist Princess Isabel with some of her inventions. While not having her keenness of mind he did surprise the young lady from time to time with a thought or idea she didn't think of that helped move her experiments forward. The pair was becoming fast friends despite the difference in their ages. This made Elena happy as well as the fact that he got along with all her family and friends except Esteban who though not being able to prove it still did not trust the lad. However he was determined to protect Princess Elena's heart to the best of his abilities.

Finally the day came when Mateo announced the formula was complete. The threesome sped down to Mateo's workroom with great speed. For Chris it was obvious how badly he wanted to get rid of this curse. Elena was happy too, hoping the success, hoping for Christ to finally have a normal life. Hopefully one that could include her. In Mateo's lab sat a large glass with the brew inside. The first thing they notice was the complete stench of the liquid. While trying to hide their reaction they couldn't though they didn't want to offend Mateo.

"Go ahead, say it. This stuff stinks. Most likely won't taste any better but it'll do the job. I wish I could make it taste better but that would reduce the effects of the potion."

"Why is it that medicine that is suppose to be good for you tastes anything but.", Chris tried to quip to ease the tension.

Mateo then added," For this potion to work properly you have to drink it all right away, otherwise it won't be effective."

Nodding his head that he understood what had to be done, as unpleasant as drinking the liquid was going to be. He then made a request of Elena.

"No matter what happens keep me drinking no matter if I beg you to stop.", he pleaded.

She nodded promising to do all she can. As he brought the large glass to his lips with one hand he held his nose to avoid smelling the awful brew. As he took the first swig of the potion his eyes tightened indication how bad it tasted. However he struggled through the first few gulps but it almost started to look like he wanted to draw it away from his lips. Elena was as good as her word refusing to let him stop by keeping him drinking. She could hear his gurgling plea's to stop but though she was tearing up to hear the man she loves suffering she continued force feeding the drink. At one point the figure started turning green and Elena became fearful he would transform into the monster again. However as the drink went down his throat the green aura was diminishing until finally the last of the liquid was consumed. Elena dropped the glass at the same time Chris collapsed to the floor coughing and hacking. Crawling towards him still crying Elena threw her body over his and held him tight apologizing for doing what he had asked her to do in the first place. It took maybe 10-15 minutes before the only sound heard from Chris was the pattern of his regular breathing.

Finally Elena with tears streaking down her eyes apologized," I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what I put you through."

It was a few more moments before he found his voice.

"Thank you Elena, and I'm sorry for what I just had to put you through too."

"It's all right. It's all right. It's over now. You don't have to drink that stuff anymore. Right Mateo?"

"That's right. Of course the next time you lose your temper you won't transform but you will need to know how to respond differently than you have."

By this time Chris had enough energy to look up. His face was covered with sweat from the struggle he had just endured but his smile still beamed thankful the ordeal was over. Shaking still he got to his feet and with Elena partially supporting him until he could find his feet alone. They walked up the stairs to the main level where they came across Naomi who looked to be in a panic.

"Oh Elena, so glad I found you. We have a problem. You are needed in the great chamber and you need to bring Chris too since this involves him."

Together they went up towards the great chamber. Both Elena and Chris had confused looks on their faces. Entering the chamber an unknown figure stood with his back towards them facing the remaining members of the council. Armando greeted them to the meeting when the unknown figure turned around. Instantly Elena could tell by the reaction of Chris that whoever this was didn't plan on giving good news. The figure confirmed the fears when he opened his mouth.

"Prince Christopher Robin Alexandre. You are hearby under arrest for the deaths of King Louis Joseph Alexandre, Queen Marth Ellen Ringel Alexandre, and Prince Mark Patrick Alexandre."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Before anybody in the royal council could react the figure called on his security to arrest Chris. The group in their armor and dark cloth entered the chamber and seized the young man tearing him away from Elena. Though he struggled to get away Chris was no match for the forces against him.

"Be careful men. Don't overdo it. We don't want him to lose his temper again!", the leader commanded.

As surprised as the leadership of Avalor was the most surprised by the actions taken were from Chris and Elena. The soldiers were very professional and with ease brought Chris's hands behind his back and handcuffing them.

"Who are these men and what are they doing in the castle?", demanded Alena.

It was Esteban who provided the information.

"Princess Elena, these men have come from the north looking for someone who murdered the 3 members of the royal family. I passed by this wanted poster on one of my recent travels.

Producing a "Wanted Poster" was the drawing that looked too much like Chris to be a coincidence as Esteban continued his explanation.

"So I contacted their ruler saying I thought I knew where he was and it turns out I was right. Now these men are going to take him back to his country so that justice can be done."

This new information was too much for Elena to process. It seemed to run contradictory to the things she knew about Chris. As the guards started to take Chris away she had to be restrained by her family and friends or else she would have run after him.

"I knew there was something suspicious about that young man from the beginning but even I didn't think he was capable of what he was accused of.", Estaban stated not so much to rub in that he was right but in consideration of Princess Elena's feelings. When Chris and the others had left the rest of the council held on to Elena concerned that she would start chasing after the others. When they finally let her go Elena looked with rage at her family. She wanted to say so much but to her credit she kept her mouth shut and instead walked to the door, opened it and when she left flung the door close with a very loud slam. The reaction was expected by the others but that didn't stop it from hurting them.

In her bedroom patio Elena paced back and forth still furious over what had happened and her families reaction to it. Seeing some Jacklyn's approaching her she wanted to use one of them to chase after Chris. However in her guy she remembered a promise she made to Gabe. He had allowed her to attend a Jacklyn birthday which was just a ruse to search for Shariki. after it was over Gabe made her promise to obey the council because he would never cover for her again.

Skyler the jackilyn landed on the roof. Though Elena loved all the winged creatures Skyler had a special place in her heart. He could see how upset the princess was and asked her why. She had no trouble telling Skyler what had happened. He seemed as surprised about the circumstances as she was. Mentioning he had seen the soldiers moving north he offered to take Elena there. Instinctively she started to mount the animal when a thought crossed her mind and she got off.

"What is wrong Princessa? Don't you want to save him?"

"With all my heart I want to but I made a promise to Gabe that I'd never disobey the council again. He stayed silent for me that one time but warned he would never do it again. I don't want to betray him yet I feel like I'm betraying Chris. I can't win in this situation. By choosing one I betray another."

Elena slammed her fists against the railing and laying her head down started crying hard. Maybe for a princess this was suppose to be undignified but she didn't care.

"Thank you for keeping your promise to me but if you want Elena I'll temporarily allow you to go after Chris but only if I can come along.", came a voice she knew all too well.

Wiping her tears away she saw Gabe on another Jackilyn flying just beyond the railing.

"I...I don't understand?", she sniffled.

"Elena, I don't have any proof but I don't trust that leader of the guards. Something just never smelled right about the guy but I couldn't say anything in front of the council. I think your guy is in danger. So lets go save him if my suspicions are correct. So stop crying and lets get flying.

Wiping away her tears in mere moment she was onboard Skyler as the pair began their search for Chris and the people who took them. One of the jackilyn's reported seeing a group of human's moving northward. Hoping they had not changed course Elena and Gabe urged their jackilyn's forward with greater speed. Even though the group they were chasing had a 2 hour head start it took the jackilyn's only 20 minutes to catch up to the force. When they did catch up Elena looked down in horror to see Chris being beaten up by the guards. They all took turns punching, kicking, and in every other way beating every part of his body and with his wrists still handcuffed he could offer no form of defense.

As she decended she overheard the man who had served the papers speak up," All right men. You had your fun. Lets get this over with. The king wants this over and done wit as soon as possible. Though the guards didn't enjoy having their fun interrupted they did seem equally pleased with what they were about to do. They grabbed their prisoner, stood him almost erect against a nearby tree as the soldier began going after their rifles.

In that moment Elena knew what was about to happen. These people weren't going to take him back for trial. They were going to execute him away from what they thought were any prying eyes. Taking out her wand of Avalor she commanded,

"Blaze!"

The blast landed a few feet in front of the soldiers but it had the desired effect. The force made them move backwards and even better caused their rifles to fly out of the hands. While the soldiers scrambled to find their rifles Elena landed, grabbed Chris and while still handcuffed flopped him over the front of Skylar. By that time the soldier had found their guns and aimed them directly at Elena and Chris. However Gabe seeing the action from his jackilyn and swooped down to give a degree of cover by presenting himself as an additional target. The nimbleness of his jackilyn meant he didn't even need to draw his sword though he was neve close enough to have swung it anyway. Using the distraction Gabe provided Elena pointed the scepter of light towards her and Chris and concentrating with all her might hoping this would work she said,

"Vanish"

She looked to see if the spell had been effective. Though she could still feel Chris's body in her arms she couldn't see him. All she could do now is assume she was invisable as well. Placing a hand on Skylar so as to not alarm him she draped Chris over his shoulder as had been done before. At that moment Skylar had a pretty good idea of what she had in mind. When he felt her weight in the middle of his back and her pulling on the hair on his neck he knew it was safe to fly off. As soon as she was a safe enough distance away she called out to Gabe that she had Chris and for him to retreat. That was an order he didn't need to hear twice as he got out our the scene. Only the did she revealed her body and Chris's again. Together the three of them flew as fast as possible to get back to the castle.

Once back on the landing of the room Elena instructed Gabe to get the guards ready for an invasion. Of course Gabe knew what to expect but he didn't bother to correct her. As expected the army did return but upon seeing the superior number of forces waiting for them decided to back down and run away from the fight a man would be hurt or injured from either side.

Elena ran back into her room to tell Chris about their victory but when she showed up he was sitting up on the bed but with his head hung low apparently deep in thought.

"What's wrong?", she inquired.

Looking up at Elena he gave a weak smile before explaining,

"I've been thinking of all things you've been doing to protect me and I'm realizing that you are truly behaving like a royal while I have been behaving like a coward. I guess I'm feeling a little bit ashamed of my actions or in this case my non-actions. I ran away when I should have fought. Now my kingdom doesn't have a king they should have and if he sent those troops to have me killed then how is he treating my people?"

Elena attempted to come up with any excuse to prevent him from leaving for she was afraid for his life. Eventually her Grandparents Francisco and Luisa overheard the conversation.

"Am I afraid? Of course I am. I want to stay here with you but how could I look at you when I see myself as being unworthy of having fulfilled my royal obligations. Now I've made the job ten times harder but at least my responsibility isn't ten times greater as well.", Chris said in another response to Elena's plea's for him not to go.

Elena reached out to hold him tight in a hug. She could fear her fears come out in the form of tears. She didn't want him to go. She wanted to keep him here, and safe."

"Majita, I think this young man knows what needs to be done and I think deep down so do you.", Luisa spoke.

With her lips still quivering Elena perhaps did realize this but it didn't make what was about to happen any easier. Then Francisco added his opinion.

"Being a ruler means having to make difficult choices. Heaven knows during your time here you've had your share of challenges and you faced them all bravely. Now this young man has learned through you to do the same thing."

Though she could not help but be emotional about the situation she understood the logic of all involved. Before he left he did ask a favor of having one of her jackilyn friends fly him to his kingdom. He noted the speed of the creatures could mean it would take a day or two for him to arrive versus the 2 or more months it would take the troupes to return. Eventually she was able to contact King Zephyr who found a volunteer to take him. Giving a final kiss before departing he promised to keep her updated as much as possible.

He was as good as his word. Every few days a dispatch was received from him. First he found locals of his kingdom to form a band to fight the tyrannical king. In less than 2 months their activity had weakened the king and gave him more supporters to launch a full scale attack on the castle itself. Though he admitted having lost some dedicated followers in the battle victory was finally theirs. The old king was imprisoned pending a trial which Chris was adamant about lest he become as much a dictator as the man he was replacing. By the time the troops that had arrested him arrived he was already in firm control and had them arrested as well. Eventually things got back to normal to the point where now King Chris sent a messenger to Avalor to finalize a pact between the two to become allies. An offer Elena was more than happy to agree to.

On the day of their arrival King Chris spared no effort to show his guests his appreciation. Because the country was partially against water Elena and the others took one of the royal boats to the city. Upon their arrival while balloons were released into the air a marching band played as they led them to the castle. At the castle Elena saw Chris again yet in some ways she was seeing him for the first time. Not as the man who in desperate trouble. Wearing a formal uniform with some medals on his chest he looked every inch a royal as she did.

That afternoon the parties signed the pact that made them allies towards each other with all the pomp and circumstances that was dictated in such an event. With all the official reasons for her being their concluded the family was shown to their quarters with an offer to rest if they needed to before being taken on a tour of his country.

While still unpacking her clothes she had brought for the festivities she heard a knock on her door. Opening it she saw Chris in front of her. Unlike earlier when he seemed so confident now he looked a little shy around her.

"Elena I want to thank you for helping me find my courage to do what was right. I want you to know again though that I didn't invite you just to sign the pact. The point is I've never met a women like you before in my life. You made me feel things like I have never felt them before or feel them with such intensity and for that I will always love you for that.

King Chris stroked Elena's cheek before caressing the back of his neck. His intention though done awkwardly were obvious and wanted to be reciprocated in the best way possible. As their lips got closer and closer about to connect for the kiss they heard some coughing that was too loud and audible to be a true cough. Turning their heads they saw Francisco and Luisa staring right at them. It was Francisco who explained what they were doing there.

"Look we know how you feel about each other. Believe me Luisa and I felt these same urges when we were your age as did your mother and father Elena. However you two must remember that you are both royals from different lands and the appearance of any scandal must be avoided at all costs. Be thankful for the closeness that you feel for each other. I hope that can continue but know that you represent your kingdoms as well."

"Chris, I do love you but I can't give up on my kingdom any more than you can now. Maybe sometime in the future circumstances will allow use the closeness I honestly believe we feel for each other but now is not the time."

The king nodded his head.

"I can't say I'm surprised by the response but forgive this king for hoping it could happen. My kingdom is now at your disposal and personally if you ever need anything from me just ask and you'll have it."

At that moment the two embraced for several minutes. The grandparents did not interfere for they understood. In the end Elena had found love and rediscovered her duty to her realm as well.

The End


End file.
